Electric meter



W. D. LE BARON.

ELECTRIC MEIER.

APPLICATlON FILED mac. :4. 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

latentodSept. 9, 1919,

1 [in v 1 y aitoxmew W. D. LE BARON.

ELECTRIG METER.

APPLICATION FILED'DEC. 14. I917.

latentedSept. 9, 1919.

2 SHEETS SHEET 2 24 r11 a i .H u

, 3 wvewtoz 515w Gilliam 101 6 "UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILIBUR DUANE LE'BARON, F BRONX, NEW FORK, ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL CARBON COMPANY, INC., 013 NEW YORK, N. Yr, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC METER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 14, 1917. Serial No. 207,056.

To all whom. it may concern.

Be it known that I, WILBUR DUANE Ln Baron, a citizen of the United States, residing at the borough of Bronx in the county of Bronx and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Meters, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein I tothe accompanying drawings, forming part thereof.

'. My invention relates to electric meters such as annneters and voltmeters and more particularly those which are adapted to give readings or indications at opposite sides of a zero point. Objects of iny invention are reliability, accuracy of indication, simplicity of construction; inexpensiveness of manufacture, and other objects and advantages which will hereinafter appear. My invention includes in a general combinatlon various features of construction and combinations ofparts and subeombinations thereof as will appear from the following description.

I shall now describe the three electric meters embodying my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and shall thereafter point out my invention in clanns.

Figure 1 is a face view or front elevation of an ammeter embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the cover and dial plate removed. and with parts in section.

Fig. 3 is a central horizontal section on a plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Figs. 1.

and .2 as viewed from above.

Fig. 4. is a. similar view on a plane indicated by the line 4.-4.-

Fig. 5 is a central vertical section on a plane indicated by the line 55 of Figs. 1 and 2 as viewed from the left.

Fig. (3 is an enlarged plan view of the movement assembly as seen from above in Fig. 5 with parts in horizontal section.

Fig. 7 is a similarly enlarged vertical SEC? tion of the movement assembly as it appears in Fig. 5. the section being taken on a plane indicated by the line 7-7 of Fig. 6 as viewed from below.

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the movement assembly partly in section on a plane indicated by the line S-8 of Fig. 7 as viewed from the right.

Fig. 0 is a side elevation of parts of the movement as viewed from the right in Fig.

1 8, and showing the other side from that which appears in Fig. 7

Fig. 10 is a greatly enlarged front elevation of the ivoted magnetic indicating armature "in the position in which this armature appears in Figs. 2 and 8.

Fig. 11 is a diagram illustrating the 0pcration of this armature.

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. l of a voltmeter, the construction beingrmodified only to the extent of providing a bobbin for supporting the fine wire forming the voltmeter coil.

Fig. 13 is a partialcentral vertical section on a plane indicated by the line 13-13 of Fig. 12 as viewed from the left.

. Fig. 14 is a front elevation similar to Figs. 1 and 12 showing an annneter of a construction similar to the voltmeter illustrated in Fig. 12.

Fig. 15 is a partial central vertical section similar to Fig. 13 on a plane indicated by theline 15-15 of Fig. 14 as viewed from "the left.

The base 1 is circular in plan view as appears in Figs. 1 and 2, and at its forward side is provided with a partly circularly curved substantially central boss 2 and at one side or edge is provided with a substantially segm'enoshaped standardor pedestal which at its upper or inner side and middle is connected to and which rises above the boss 2. The front. or forward face of the boss 9. has therein two similar terminal-reeeh'ingrecesses 4 and at the top the boss 2 has a clip-receiviug recess 5. The upper side of the standard 3 at the middle thereof is of arcuate concave shape. and is shown as of substantially emi-circular form. and in the Patented Sept. 9, 1919.

in;the upper side of the standard 3, as appears in the drawings.

A coil 7 through which the current to be measured passcs is located at the front of and substantially centrally of the base 1, and

is shown as slilghtly spaced forwardly from p the boss 2, and the coil 7 is arranged with its axis substantially vertical. in the position of the meter aiiearin in Fl sh 2 and 5 of the drawings, and this coil 7 has its lower The terminals of the coil 7 pass through and are shown as soldered to the forwardly pro jecting ends of two laterally extending coil terminals 8 located within. the respective terminal-receiving recesses l in the boss 2 of the base 1..

The coil terminals 8 are mounted upon and fixedly carried by the inner ends of terminal studs 9 which extend rearwardly through the base 1 and project from the back thereof for receiving the circuit. wires. :The inner end of each of the terminal studs is provided with a head 10 which is received within a somewhat enlarged end part of the termmal-reccivn'igrecesses 4, as clearly appears in the drawings. immediately rearward from the inner head 10 of the terminal studs 9; a slightly enlarged or ollset shoulder-forming part '11 is provided over which the apertured end of the coil terminal 8 "snugly tits, the shoulder l-l being riveted or upset against the adjacent surface of the coil terminal 8, as is shown. in Fl 3 of the drawings, so that the coil terminal 8 becomes virtually integral or a sin gle part both mechanically and electr' :ally with the terminal stud 9,, whereby a good electrical and firm mechanical connection of the parts is brovided. Each of'the terminal studs 9 is screw-threaded, and at the back or rear of the base 1 is provided with a terminal nut ll which is shown as countersunk a little more than flush into the'b'ack of the base 1 and which not only firmly holds the stud 9 to the base 1, but which also rigidly holds the coil terminal 8 within its recess 4, where;

by rotative movement of the coil terminal Fl, such as might break its connection to the end. of the coil 7, is preventerh and also whereby the coil 7 will be held the correct position,

no support other than the coiltcrlninals being provided for the coil 7 in the particular instrument now being, described; in which the. wii c forming this coil is of a size and strcngtlrsuflicient to beselifsupporting.

50 HOEWM', forpurposcs of adus'tmei'it, hereinaftermore particularly referred to. the.

, coil llmay be slightly moved about. or shiftedlthe free ends of the coil which both form the electrical conncctlons and support the till. cell, being adapted to bend sirllicientlyl for "ticularly in Fig. 5 thereof.

ateral shown separately in Figs. 6 7 and 8, and the movement or movable parts of this movement'assembly are subject to the control of the magnetic field produced by the coil 7. Themovement includes a pivoted armature 13 formed of sheet iron and carried by an arbor 14 having pointed ends, the outer'or forward end of which shown as pivoted in across-bar 15 forming the outer part of a substantially semi-circular frame or movement support 16, having at its inner end :1 lug 17 which receives a jewel screw 18 the end of which forms the inner pivot of the arbor 14, all as clearly appears in the draw lugs, this ewel. screw lliy bcing shown as provided with a lock nut 19. The movement support 16, the pivot screw or j ew'el screw 18 and its lock nut 19, are of non-magnetic material, such as brass. The armattire 13 has its extremities or free ends '20 curved or laterally at an inclination from the same side thereof and the armature 13 is so aranged that the laterally projecting ends 20' are turned toward or project toward the adjacent end of the coil 7, as appears in the drawings. The purpose or function of these laterally and upwardly inclined armature ends 20 is to permitor provide for the use of a scale having equidistant or uniform calibrations, as will hereinafter more clearly appear.

The arbor 1.4 also carries a pointer 21 and a combined counterweight and damping vane or fan 22, both formed of non-magnetic material, preferably aluminum. The convex or circularly curved back of the movement support it; conforms to and fits against the licrcinbefore mentioned concavoly curved upper face of the 'l orwardlv projecting standard or pedestal, 3, and ex tcnds forward nearly but not quite even with the and of the standard 3, so that excepting for a slight open space at the front, the up per narrow side of the scctorshaped (lamp inn; recess 6 in the end of the pedestal 3 is closed by the movement support lb. The movementeupport Jill is firmly secured-in place by means of a screw extending from the outside upwardly through the base or inner part of the pedestal 3 and screwing into the back of the movementsupport ill; as clearly appears in the drawings, par- The base 1 is shown as provided with a circular recess or well. 24 for thercception of the inner end or head of the adji-istablc bearing; scriaw or jewel screw ll. 1hl'lQll-lllltg'flPlI-itltlill/lPlait 35 is secured noon the; forward'cnd-of the .lOl)

standard or pedestal 3 of the base 1 by means of a pair of screws 26 which enter metallic inserts 27 molded into the material of the base 1, so that the dial plate QS-cldses the outer side or end of the damp ing recess (3 which it will he noted is entirely closed excepting for the slight space or slot left between the outer end ofthe movement support 16 and the back of the both directions from a middle zero point.

The particular instrument now being described has a range of 30-O30 amperes being adapted to 'give indications fronnzero up to thirty ampcresfor current in either direction the part of the scale at the left ofthe zero point being marked Charge and that part at the right of the zero point being marked Discharge for thereby indicating whether a storage battery receiving a charge or that current is being used therefrom. the armature 13 and pointer 21 controlled thereby beingdeflectedin either one direction or the other according to the direction of current flowing through the coil 7, asis well understood in the art.

Means are provided which tend to maintain the pointer 21 at the zero indication, and a permanent magnet 28 is provided for this purpose. The magnet is circularly curved so as to extend somewhat loosely around the circularly curved surface of the substantially central boss 2 on the base 1, and this magnet 28 has spacedpole forming ends 2!) turned inward toward and into alinenlent with each other, these ends 29 being straight and extending part] 1 between the lower side ofjche boss 2 and the upper side of the pedestal or standard 3, as clearly appears in the drawings. more particularly in Figs. 1 and 2. pole-forming ends Ellof the magnet; 28 are :n'ranged horizontally in the position of the meter appearing in the cl'riiwings, and substantially at right angles to the axis of the coil 7 and terminate at opposite sides of the rem'wardly extended axis of the arher It. The magnet28 is shown as of cylindrica lcross-section, and it may .be readily 'lornuul by a shaping machine from a suitable piece of round rod, being then in a finished miulition-and not requiring any nuufhining. The (II'OSHSUClLlUllill diameter of r the rod which forms the magnet 28 is shown sheet metal shown as The strai ht las substantially equal th the height or ex- 1 tent of pro ection 1n a forward direction of a the central. boss 2 on the base 1, and the magnet 28 is firmly held in the desired adjusted position on the base 1 by meansof suitable clips shown as an upper clip 30 and two similar lower clips 31 of non-magnetic having slotted holes therein through which pass similar retaining screws 32 which screw into the sides of three similar metallic inserts 33 in the base 1 and the upper one of which appears in Il'ig. 5 of the drawings, the upper clip 30 being shown as located i ithin the hereinbefore mentioned clip-receiving recess 5. in, the boss 2.

It is to be noted that the substantially ring-shaped magnet 28 is located entirely out of the planes of the coil.7 and the armatare 13 so that allstraightlines which could be drawn between anyparts or the curved magnet 28 will be free from at the rear of and will not pass through any part of the coil 7 or of the'pivoted arnlature 13. That is to say, said bent permanent magnet is so located that no part of said armature or of said coil will be positioned between any parts of said bent magnet. There are substantial advantages in this arrangement which are to be pointed out herein. Com- -monly heretofore a pivoted armature has been located between the opposed poles of a permanent magnet and also commonly heretofore an armattire-deflecting coil has been located directly within'a substantially ringshaped permanent magnet. Whena coil is thus arranged an overchargeof current is likely to v result in the permanent d isarrangement and distort on of the magnetic field of the permanent magnet, as is well un' derstood. in the art, whereas in the meter embodying my invention now being described, the location of the coil 7 at the outside oi the nearly closed ring formed by the magnet 28 and in a position farther away from the magnet greatly lessens the disturbing effect of this coil upon the per 'nanent magnet 28. The location of the pivoted armature 13 out of the planes of the opposed poles 29 of the magnet 28 results in a plural ity of advantages now to be noted. WV hen a pivoted armature as heretofore is located directly between the opposed poles of a permanent magnet direct line of the magnetic flux or lines of force passing between such magnetic poles and when unrestrained will oi course arrange itself iir'para'llelismwith these lines, but when such pivoted armature is moved on its pivot or deflected, as by another magnetic field, a very slight rotative nuivement of [be pivoted armature will tend to greatly lengthen the path of the lines of force through such armature between the poles of the permanent-- magnet and the result will such armature will bein the be that a large number of such lines of force will not be equal to the strain brought upon them and will snap or break and pass across the air gap between the spaced ma g 'netic poles and thereby their eli'cct upon the piv otcd armature will, be lost. However, when a pivoted armature such as the armature 13 is located in a position out of alinemcnt with the magnet poles such as the opposed poles armature will be broken and substantially the entire available directive force of the magnet 28 will thereby continue to be exerted upon the pivoted armature 1?; regardless of the ai'igular position to which such armature may he deflected in performing its indicating function. l urthermore, by reason of this arrz-mgemcnt of the armature l3, it will be evident that it will be subjected to a more uniformly graduated directive force by the magnet 28, and in fact in the meter illustrated in the drawings a substantially uniformly graduated magnetic directing force at all times exerted upon the pivoted armature 13, thereby to tend to move the pointer 21 toward the zero indication, and this arrangement effectively cooperates with the upwardly turned inclined ends 20 of the pivoted magnetic armature 1.3 in producing correct indications by the pointer ll as it moves over a uniformly calibrated scale, as will. be readily understood. it will be noted that the magnet 28 may be slightly shifted for purposes of ad ustment, and in practice I prefer to shift the magnet 28 for ell'ecling adjustment of the pointer ii to the zero indication, and I prefer to shi ft the coil '7, as hereinbefore mentioned, for etlfecting adjustment of the pointer ill in its move ment over the uniforn'ily calibrated scale. It is to be noted that the, dial plate 27 extends at thejlront of the flattened coil 7 in spaced relation thereto so that this coil 7 is located between the baclc-of the dial plate 25 and the front face of the boss 2 on the base 1. y

A thin non-magnetic metal casing or cover fitsover the base 1 and is shown as alnrttingr against, a small shoulder formed thereon and is held in place on the base i by means of screws 35 which enter the outer ends of the hercinbefore mentioned metallic, inserts 33, one of which appears in Fig. 5. The casing or cover Zl-l is closed at the. front by a cover glass 36 which is shown as misting upon the inner side oi a llang re provided on the cover 3i and is held in place It will now be evident that the above described electric meter will present the hereinbefore mentioned advantageous results in its manufacture and operation.

The electric meter hereinbefore described in reference to Figs. 1 to 11 inclusive, as hereinbefore noted, is an an'nncter having a range of indication of 30-O30 amperes, and in such an instrument the coil 7 will be of sutiicient size and strength, as indica tcd in the drawings and as hereinbcfore described, that it will be self-supporting and will retain its position without any support other than that provided by the attachment of its ends to the coil terminals 8, as hereinbefore described. However, in the case of a. meter in which finer wire is employed, for eiample, in an ammeter having a scale of the same length but giving a maximum indication of a lower number of amperes, and also more particularly in the case of a v0ltmeter in which, as is well understood in the art, a coil is employedhaving a great number of turns of very fine. wire, some additional support is needed for the coil, and in such cases the coil supported by a bobbin upon which the coil is wound, as is usual in This provision of a support-mg this art. bobbin for the liner wire and a correspond ingly suitable scale upon the dial plate are the only changes required in the above described meter for converting it into a Voltmeter, or into an aimneter giving-a lower indication as above mentioned.

ber of turns of fine wire is employed. and is shown as mounted upon and supported by a non-magnetic sheet metal spool or bobbin 39, which is provided with an insulating sleeve it) and insulating end plates ll and which is supported upon the base 1 by means of an integrally rearwardly and upwardly extending bracket 42 which at its upper end is bifurcated and inserted between the upper magnet-holding clip 30 and the adjacent front face of the base 1 within the clip-receiving recess 5 thereon, and is adjustably held in Jlacc by the magnet clip 30 and its screw 31 which latter passes between the prongs of the bifurcated end of the magnet supporting bracket 42, all as clearly appears in the drawings. In this voltmeter a dial plate 43 shown as provided which is the pcres and this ampere mete accordingly has an electric coil -15 con'lposed of correspondingly finer wire than is the coil 7 in the ammeter first above described, and which therefore is provided with a supporting bobbin ot' the same construction as that illustrated and described in reference to the voltmeter shown in Figs. 12 and 13, and in fact, excepting as to the dii'lcrcntly calibrated dial -11 and the an'ipere winding 15 of coarser.

wire. the electric meter illustrated in Figs. '14. 15 and 16 is identical with the voltmeter illustrated and described in reference to Figs. 12 and 13. Fig. 16, wherein is shown a front view of the ampere coil 45 and some of the immediately adjacent parts, illustrates more clearly the nianner in which the coil su iporting spool or bobbin 39 employed in the two constructions illustrated respectively in Figs. 12 and 13 and in Figs. 14., 15 and 16, s ipportcdupon the base 1 by means'of the upper magnet clip 30 and its retaining screw 32.

The operation of the voltmeter illustrated in Figs. 12 and 13, and of the ammetcr illustrated in Figs. 14, 15 and 16 is substantially the same so far as my invention is concerned, as in the ammetcr illustrated and hereinbefore described in reference to Figs. 1 to 11 inclusive.

It'is obvious that various modifications may be made in the constructions above particularly described and shown in the accompanying drawings within the principle and scope of my invention.

I claim:

I An electric meter comprising a base of insulating material provided with a substantially central boss and with a pedestal rising above said boss adjacent to one side thereof. the top of said pedestal having therein a damping recess open at the trout and at the side of the pedestal adjacent to the boss, a permanent magnet around said boss and having opposed spaced inturnml ends alongside of said pedestal, a n'iovement support closing the open side of said damping recess. a magnetic indicating armature. pivoted on the 'movement support and occupying a position entirely out from between said magnet poles, a damping vane. movable with said armature within said recess. a dial plate closing the front of said recess. a pointer movable with said armature, an electric coil located between said boss and dial plate, terminal studs secured to and passing through said base adjacent to said coil, and coil terminals fixedly carried by said studs and non-rotatively recessed into the boss of said base. i

The invention claimed in claim 1 in combination with clips mounted upon said boss for holding said magnet in place; in which said armature has free ends projectmg toward said coil, and in which each of said terminal studs has an inner head and beneath the head a shoulder over which said coil terminal its and which is upset to hold the coil terminal in place on the stud so that said coil terminal virtually forms an integral part of said terminal stud both mechanically and electrically.

An electric meter having, in combination, a base of insulating material having in the front thereof a damping recess open at one side and at the front, a movement support closing the side of said recess, a dial plate closing the front of said recess, and a damping vane pivoted on said movement support and movable within said recess.

4:. An electric meter having, in combination, an electric coil adapted to be traversed by the current to be measured, a'pivoted magnetic indicating armature in the magnetic field produced by sald coil and having its ends projecting toward said coil and beyond the contiguous parts of said armature, and means tending to move said armature to a zero position.

5. The invention claimed in claim 4 in which said means is a permanent magnet.

-6. The invention claimed in claim 5 in which said magnet and armature are so arranged that no parts of said armature are located between any parts of said magnet. '7. A. base of insulating material for an electric meter, such base being provided at the inner side thereof with a. substantially central magnet-receiving boss and being provided"'at the inner side and one edge thereof with a movement-supporting pedestal l'iaving in the top or front end thereof a fan'shaped recess for a damping vane.

8. A magnetic indicating armature for an electric meter, suchv armature comprising a piece of thin metal adapted to be pivoted at a middle point and having its free ends projecting laterally both toward the same side of the armature.

9. The invention claimed in claim 8 in 'which said laterally projecting armature gm tint combination with a bent permanent magnet tending; to :move SZJdiiUl'IliL'DUTQ to the zero indication and so located that no part of pedestal rising'ehove said boss adjacent to one side nie ignm top of said pedestalf having therein a damping recess open at the front. and. at the side of the pedestal-adjacent to the boss, a permanent magnet around said boss, av movement snpportelosmg the side of said recess, a diai plate. closing the' front of said recess, and a dampinghvane pivoted on said movement support and movabie wlthin said reoess.

13. 2111 electric meter having, in combinaminimal shaving therein a damping recess open at the front and at the side of the pedestal ad jacent to the boss, a permanent magnet around said hoss, a movement support closing theside of said recess, a magnetic indi cating amnatnre'pivoted on; the movement support, a damping vane moirable With said armature Within said recess, a dial plate closing the front of said recess, a pointer movable With said armature, and an electric coil between said base and dial plate.

In testimony whereof, I have aflixed my signature to this specification.

whens DUANE LE BARON. 

